Swansea Children's Centre supports breast feeding » Local Government » 24dash.com

Swansea Children's Centre has been given national recognition as one of the latest buildings that are supporting breast feeding across Swansea.

The new Children's Centre in Penlan is the fourth centre in Wales to become accredited with special status as part of the Welsh Assembly's breast feeding scheme.

The Swansea Council funded centre earned special status for making mothers feel welcome, valued and comfortable and able to breastfeed at the venue without fear of being asked to stop or move on.

The team at Swansea's first Children's centre have followed the principles of the scheme since it officially opened on July 13th 2006.

Children's Centre Manager Cari Beuse said: "It was felt by all the team that all mums should feel comfortable and able to breast feed their child if they so wished.

"It is important that we support families to give their children the best possible start in life and there's no better start than being breast feed.

"Its vital that centre's like ours and others across Swansea provide support to mums in a comfortable environment where there is advice and guidance on hand to make breastfeeding a positive experience for both mum and child'.

One mum Victoria Coady whose two children Edward and new born Ella visit the centre on weekly basis said "The centre is a very relaxed environment and ideal place to feel comfortable when breastfeeding your children. The facilities are excellent and cater for all."

The Welsh Assembly Government has devised the Breastfeeding Welcome Scheme to identify premises that understand and support the needs of breastfeeding mothers and their babies.

The Scheme is for venues open to the public such as businesses that provide food or drink, hairdressers, shops, libraries and museums, community centres and health centres.

The four criteria premises must meet in order to join the scheme are:

Breastfeeding must be acceptable in all areas open to the public,

A mother who is breastfeeding will not be asked to move or to stop breastfeeding,

Staff should be told about the scheme and how to be supportive of the needs of breastfeeding mothers,

And all public areas should be non-smoking.

Once venues have agreed to the conditions of the scheme, they can display the eye-catching sticker, to enable to breast feeding mothers to identify at that venue they are valued and that they will find an easy, comfortable welcome.

Premises interested in finding out more about the scheme, can email: breastfeeding@wales.gsi.gov.uk or write to: Freepost NAT8910, Breastfeeding Welcome Scheme, Welsh Assembly Government, CathaysPark, Cardiff CF10 3RB.

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